How about teaching evolution at Sunday school?

People have talked a lot about teaching creation in science
classes ... how do people feel about teaching evolution in
Sunday school? (if that's a UK specific term it's a church-led
school for kids that get's run on a Sunday).

I see no particular reason to do so, any more than I'd teach quantum mechanics or solution of simultaneous equations.However, it's not something the shy away from when dealing with the creation stories in Sunday School. I'd be very inclined to point out that evolution does not contradict the spiritual message of Genesis, and that science and faith need not be at odds with each other.

Churches are non-government instituions and so can decide what they teach themselves. Government sciecne educational organizitons should teach distinct alternatives that are known to explain phenomena.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tranquility Base:
Churches are non-government instituions and so can decide what they teach themselves. Government sciecne educational organizitons should teach distinct alternatives that are known to explain phenomena.

---

aggreement with slight ammendment.Government science educational organizations should teach scientifically credible alternatives...

OK ddgWhat's non-scientific about showing that:1. All known examples of observed evolution, including that on rapid generational entities such as viruses and bacteria, do not demonstrate anything other than allelic variaiton or loss of function.2. Life today and the fossil record show very few transtional forms.3. Genomes are showing us that gene families, as well as anatomies, are mosaically spread throughout life.These are all consistent with a created origin of 'kinds' with evolutionary diversifcation within those kinds. The data puts severe constraints on both how evoltuion or creation occurred but proves or disproves neither of them.There is absolutely nothing unscientific about the above except that you despise the connotations it carries. We actually love science as much as you do - we just want to pont out that there are multiple ways of interpreting the same observations.[This message has been edited by Tranquility Base, 11-13-2002]

Originally posted by Tranquility Base:"What's non-scientific about showing that:1. All known examples of observed evolution, including that on rapid generational entities such as viruses and bacteria, do not demonstrate anything other than allelic variaiton or loss of function.2. Life today and the fossil record show very few transtional forms.3. Genomes are showing us that gene families, as well as anatomies, are mosaically spread throughout life."Nothing unscientific here. However, alternate theories need to go through the proper scientific avenues (peer review, etc.)before they are adopted into a curriculum (I'm not saying yours have not, I don't know). A responsible school board will find out what what the mainstream scientific community thinks about the research and conclusions."There is absolutely nothing unscientific about the above except that you despise the connotations it carries."I don't think I've declared what I despise but I do need to clarify my position. I believe in a creator. For me, the bible is a spirtual guide as opposed to literal historical text or scientific manual.
I am comfortable, in general, with the position my particular Protestant denomination takes (Prebyterian Church USA)."however, it is not necessary to understand the Genesis account as a scientific description of Creation.""We conclude that the true relation between the evolutionary theory and the Bible is that of non-contradiction and that the position stated by the General Assemblies of 1886, 1888, 1889 and 1924 was in error and no longer represents the mind of our Church."EVOLUTION AND THE BIBLE Primary Reference: GA Minutes 1969: 59-62
Denomination: PCUS CONCLUSION FROM THE STUDYPresbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Page Cannot be Found[This message has been edited by ddg, 11-13-2002][This message has been edited by ddg, 11-13-2002]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Peter:
People have talked a lot about teaching creation in science
classes ... how do people feel about teaching evolution in
Sunday school? (if that's a UK specific term it's a church-led
school for kids that get's run on a Sunday).

---

Topic starting to wander off somewhere else, so here's the original message again.Adminnemooseus------------------
{mnmoose@lakenet.com}

Given the complex issues of evolution, young age group involved (k thru 6th at my church), limited time frame, and questionable intructor qualifications I would discourage evolutionary debate in the sunday school classroom at my church. However, in the US, churches are free to teach whatever is consistent with their theological perspective.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tranquility Base:
Churches are non-government instituions and so can decide what they teach themselves. Government sciecne educational organizitons should teach distinct alternatives that are known to explain phenomena.

---

If all you have to do is explain, not show evidence, then the Galactic Goat Theory of Everything qualifies.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ddg:
Given the complex issues of evolution, young age group involved (k thru 6th at my church), limited time frame, and questionable intructor qualifications I would discourage evolutionary debate in the sunday school classroom at my church. However, in the US, churches are free to teach whatever is consistent with their theological perspective.

---

Isn't the young age group a very good reason to point out that
there are alternatives to the biblical stories that are still
consistent with the underlying theology of christianity (although
perhaps not in those words).Impressing stories as fact on youngsters could be viewed as a form
of indoctrination or social programming which they are too
young to withstand.That's the main problem most creationists have with teaching in science classes,.

I have recently stated elsewhere that earth beginnings should not be taught in the public school system that these things should wait until post secondary education when reasoning and thinking skills have been honed a little.
So in sunday school why make it any different, sunday school is set in place to help parents in the spiritual development of a child, to help to give them an understanding of the christian faith. Taught in terms they can understand.
Still no need for kids that have not fully learned how to use their God given reasoning abilities to start in a subject as complex as the beginning of the earth. A subject so complex that even those adults who study it do not fully comprehend.
In addition to the above the school is no way allowed anything to with God so sunday school has become increasingly necessary to give children a place to learn about the spiritual, as prayer is not even allowed in schools. Teachers can't even supervise a prayer meeting on school grounds, pretty paranoid of a God who doesn't exist.
So no why do something like teach evolution in sunday school that makes no sense.

[QUOTE][B]I have recently stated elsewhere that earth beginnings should not be taught in the public school system that these things should wait until post secondary education when reasoning and thinking skills have been honed a little.[/QUOTE][/B]Earth's beginnings are not complicated, and I have studied them in post-secondary ed. Highschool physics is more complicated.

quote:

---

Originally posted by funkmasterfreaky:
I have recently stated elsewhere that earth beginnings should not be taught in the public school system that these things should wait until post secondary education when reasoning and thinking skills have been honed a little.
So in sunday school why make it any different, sunday school is set in place to help parents in the spiritual development of a child, to help to give them an understanding of the christian faith. Taught in terms they can understand.
Still no need for kids that have not fully learned how to use their God given reasoning abilities to start in a subject as complex as the beginning of the earth. A subject so complex that even those adults who study it do not fully comprehend.
In addition to the above the school is no way allowed anything to with God so sunday school has become increasingly necessary to give children a place to learn about the spiritual, as prayer is not even allowed in schools. Teachers can't even supervise a prayer meeting on school grounds, pretty paranoid of a God who doesn't exist.
So no why do something like teach evolution in sunday school that makes no sense.

---

Boiling down what you have said seems to say that the Biblical
explanation of creation is a spiritual matter, and so science
has no place in sunday school.That's all us sciencey types are saying, but in reverse.

quote:

---

Isn't the young age group a very good reason to point out that
there are alternatives to the biblical stories that are still
consistent with the underlying theology of christianity (although
perhaps not in those words).

​

Impressing stories as fact on youngsters could be viewed as a form
of indoctrination or social programming which they are too
young to withstand.

---

Church is an institution of faith. People go there to worship and learn about their religion. There is a distinct differenbe between this and public schools. The problem is not that the public schools are refusing to teach about creationism, but they are specifically attacking it. I agree with the seperation between Church and State, however, public schools should change the presentation of their science curriculum.

quote:

---

If all you have to do is explain, not show evidence, then the Galactic Goat Theory of Everything qualifies.

---

Evolutionism isn't a theory anymore?